The present invention is related generally to a method and article of manufacture of low fat, low cholesterol and low calorie cheese. More particularly, the invention is related to a method and article of manufacture of low fat, low cholesterol natural cheeses employing selected amounts of carrageenan and lactic acid producing bacteria for producing the cheese product.
The general public has become increasingly aware of the need to control the intake of fats and cholesterol in their diets. Dairy products, particularly cheese products are regarded as a significant source of saturated fats and cholesterol. Medical studies have concluded that human consumption of such fats and cholesterol should be limited in order to avoid such maladies as coronary heart disease. The general recommendation has thus been to greatly reduce and even eliminate consumption of cheese which is a concentrated source of such detrimental, unhealthy fats and cholesterol. This recommendation is rapidly becoming accepted by the public and is resulting in substantial decrease in the consumption of cheese food products. Substantial efforts have been mounted over about the past ten years to discover a method and article of manufacture of low fat, low cholesterol cheese with the flavor and texture of normal cheese. It has been determined that the presence of fat is important in obtaining the right body and texture of the finished cheese, and the fat also has an important role in the flavor of the product. All of these features affect consumer acceptability of the product. As stated by the cheese expert Kosikowski in his textbook on cheesemaking, Cheese and Fermented Milk Foods, F. V. Kosikowski and Associates, Brooktondale, New York, 1978 2nd ed.:
In this diet and calorie conscious era, skim milk cheddar cheese would appear to be destined for greater popularity, but the fact is that the cheese has no appetizing characteristics. It is without much cheese flavor and body texture is usually as hard as rock. Rapid drying out of the cheese during cooking is a characteristic feature, despite the normal low cooking temperatures of 31.degree. C. (Kosikowski, p. 242)
An example of one attempt to produce a moderate fat content cheese is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,143. This patent is directed to a method which uses a method of producing a moderate level fat cheese product using a starting liquid milk having a fat content between 0.3 and 1.5%. These fat levels in a final cheese product will be about ten to twelve times the fat content of the starting liquid milk. The starting liquid milk was inoculated with a culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and with a culture of Lactobacillus casei, in addition to a normal cheese starter culture. Syneresis of the curd is impeded by the addition of a monovalent cation, such as sodium in the form of sodium chloride. Further, the addition of the indicated amount of salt can induce an undesired, salty taste to the cheese. In addition, the method involves treating the cheese curd at relatively low temperatures, not generally exceeding 38 centigrades, and this temperature is not sufficient to support the growth of Lactobacillus strains in order to obtain the full benefit of such bacterial strains.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,240 describes the process of increasing yield of cottage cheese curd (acid-set by adding caseinate to milk and heating the milk to 180.degree. F. before forming the curd). A water-origin colloid gum like carrageenan may be also added only for the purpose of increasing the yield. The addition of caseinate, a milk protein and milk extender, to the starting milk resulted in the finished product being an imitation cheese product. Imitation cheese products have reduced consumer acceptance and product marketability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,584 is directed to a method for preparing a low fat cheese base usable as a partial or total replacement for conventional cheese in cheese containing foods (cheese cakes) and not for direct consumption. In this application a stabilizer consisting of guar-gum, locust bean gum and carrageenan and a buffer were added to a finished soft cheese manufactured using acid coagulation and then Pasteurized to obtain a smooth consistency.
Carrageenan has been used in a number of instances to enhance production of cottage cheese and soft acid set coagulated cheeses. These methods have involved the use of carrageenan to tie up protein material from the whey thereby increasing the yield levels. Such methods encompass substantially different functionality for the carrageenan, different pH levels, use of different chemical and biological constituents and different processing parameters, such as different temperatures, compared to the instant invention.